Mainland China will only be charged HK$1,000 per year for Hong Kong high-speed rail terminus
Deal at West Kowloon rail site will see Hong Kong pay similar amount for Shenzhen Bay facility, which will be slashed from current cost of about 8.1 million yuan
Hong Kong will charge mainland Chinese authorities only HK$1,000 (US$127) annually for using a 1.1 million sq ft port area at the high-speed rail link terminus in West Kowloon – one of the most expensive sites in the city.
The local administration on Thursday said the move would be matched by the Shenzhen municipal government slashing the annual rent Hong Kong pays for a 4.4 million sq ft port area at the Shenzhen Bay checkpoint in Shekou to 1,000 yuan (HK$1,150) from about 8.1 million yuan, starting next year.
Hong Kong authorities also announced the controversial “co-location” joint checkpoint arrangement – which would allow mainland officials to enforce their laws in the port area leased to them at the West Kowloon terminus – would be gazetted on Friday.
This would enable mainland officials to start work at the station on September 4. The 26km Hong Kong section of the HK$84.4 billion Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link is set to launch on September 23.